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Appetite for weight-loss deals broader than visible, Viking CEO says

Appetite for weight-loss deals broader than visible, Viking CEO says

101 finance101 finance2026/01/13 00:24
By:101 finance

By Puyaan Singh

Jan 12 (Reuters) - Weight-loss drug developer Viking Therapeutics CEO said on Monday that strategic ​interest in weight-loss drug deals is broader ‌than it appears, as drugmakers seek to tap into the potential $150 ‌billion market.

Pharmaceutical companies are targeting the booming weight-loss drug market, which analysts estimate could exceed $150 billion annually by the end of the decade.

Key growth drivers include expanded ⁠clinical applications, wider ‌patient adoption, improved drug manufacturing capacity, and a pipeline of next‑generation therapies.

"I think the ‍interest is probably broader than is visible ... more parties sort of circling around the space and very intrigued," Viking CEO ​Brian Lian said at the J.P. Morgan healthcare ‌conference.

Last November, Pfizer acquired Metsera for $10 billion, gaining a foothold in the fast-growing market following a fierce bidding war with Novo Nordisk.

Lian said pharmaceutical companies are trying to determine how to approach obesity treatments - whether ⁠to pursue a new drug compound ​in early-stage development, which could ​come at a lower price point, or opt for "something proven", which may be more expensive.

During ‍Viking's third-quarter ⁠earnings call in October, Lian said the company is open to outside interest, which he would ⁠prefer, but emphasized that the drug developer is prepared to go ‌alone if necessary.

(Reporting by Puyaan Singh in ‌Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

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